I have always enjoyed coloring and way back, way back I purchased a set of professional markers and colored and drew for a short time. I also purchase professional grade colored pencils and colored in coloring books.
In the winter and or spring, not sure which, I discovered a new wave of adult coloring and is my usual way, I became obsessed and purchased a few of the new adult coloring books and spent a tidy sum on colored pencils and markers, still purchasing all three.
The new wave of coloring books speak of reducing stress. And for me they do that as well as pushing me into a more focused realm. I have purchased far too many coloring books, but my current favorite was a gift from my co teacher's wife, Dr. Who, my oh my. I have four coloring books created by Johanna Brasford, wonderful drawings to color. I also two books by Daria Song which depict a little girl discovering the inner workings of a clock guarded by a fairy. Many have a seek and find piece to them, but that is secondary to the drawings. What I love about Dr. Who, besides it is Dr. Who, is that the images are each on separate page so that I can color using my pencils or markers. The others print on both sides of the page so that I have to first color with a pencil on the other side of the page that I want to use my markers. I like how the markers are more vibrant than pencils.
The coloring books help those of us who are not artists, or at least don't think we are, manifest into artists for a time. The act of creating and giving life to the black and white drawings is what refreshes my brain and body. The act of coloring pulls me in, much like books do, but in the case of coloring I am creating.
When I read I usually, if it is fiction, create the characters in my mind. I choose actors to give a face to the characters in the book, some books pop out as animation Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book is one that came to fruition in animation, I'm not sure why. Now I am going to have to get back to the book, the characters are in my head now and pounding for me to get back to reading.
